2024, Volume 17, Issue 5, pp 530 – 535

Empagliflozin alone and in combination with metformin mitigates diabetes-associated renal complications

SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Issues

Special Issues

Authors and Affiliations

Corresponding author Zahraa Al-Isawi Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Kufa, Kufa, Iraq E-mail: zahraaj.kadhim@uokufa.edu.iq

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a major public health concern, often leading to undiagnosed micro- and macrovascular complications, even in patients with controlled blood glucose levels. Recent evidence suggests that empagliflozin and metformin have renoprotective effects in addition to their hypoglycemic action. This study investigated the potential protective effect of empagliflozin and metformin on diabetic renal complications. Forty-two adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into six groups: normal control, diabetic control, metformin (250 mg/kg), empagliflozin (10 mg/kg), and combination therapy groups. Type 2 diabetes was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) following two weeks of 10% fructose solution in their drinking water. Blood glucose, creatinine, urea nitrogen, inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α), and renal tissue caspase-3 were assessed after eight weeks. Blood glucose, urea, creatinine, serum IL-6, TNF-α, and tissue caspase-3 were significantly decreased in the treatment groups compared to the diabetic group. The histopathological findings revealed that treatment with empagliflozin and/or metformin improved the damage in the renal tissue caused by diabetes-induced nephropathy. Moreover, co-administration of empagliflozin and metformin resulted in even better outcomes. Our data revealed that empagliflozin and metformin could improve renal function and decrease inflammation and apoptosis in diabetic animals, delaying the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Combined treatment with metformin and empagliflozin proved to have an additive protective action on renal tissue.

Keywords

About this article

PMC ID: 11320611
PubMed ID: 
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2023-0301

Article Publishing Date (print): 5 2024
Available Online: 

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Issues

Special Issues